There have been known saccharides composed of glucose molecules as constituents, for example, partial starch hydrolyzates, produced from starches as materials, including amyloses, amylodextrins, maltodextrins, maltooligosaccharides, and isomaltooligosaccharides. Also, these saccharides are known to have usually non-reducing ends and reducing groups at their molecular ends and to exhibit reducing power. Usually, reducing power of partial starch hydrolyzates, on a dry solid basis, is represented by Dextrose Equivalent (DE). Partial starch hydrolyzates with high DE values are known to have a relatively low molecular weight, relatively low viscosity, strong sweetness and reactivity, easy reactivity with amino group-containing substances such as amino acids and proteins by amino carbonyl reaction that may induce browning and unpleasant smell and easily cause deterioration. In order to improve those disadvantages, methods for decreasing or eliminating the reducing power of partial starch hydrolyzates have been required for a long time. “Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol. 71, 353-358 (1949)” discloses a method to produce α-, β- or γ-cyclodextrin, constructed by 6, 7 or 8 glucose molecules bound by the α-1,4 glucosidic linkage, from starch by “macerans amylase”. At present, these cyclodextrins are produced on an industrial scale and are applied to various uses because of their non-reducing power, tastelessness, and clathrating ability. Further, Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 143,876/95 and 213,283/95, applied for by the same applicant as the present invention, disclose methods to convert maltooligosaccharides and partial starch hydrolyzates into trehalose, composed of two glucose molecules linked together via the α,α-1,1 linkage, by contacting them with a non-reducing saccharide-forming enzyme and a trehalose-releasing enzyme. At present, trehalose is produced from starch on an industrial scale and is applied to various uses because of its non-reducing power and its mild, high quality sweetness. While, International Patent Application Nos. WO 01/90338 A1, WO 02/055708 A1, and WO 02/40659 A1, applied for by the same applicant as the present invention, disclose methods to produce a cyclic tetrasaccharide, having a structure of binding four glucose molecules via alternating α-1,3 and α-1,6 glucosidic linkages, i.e., cyclo{→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}, from starch or partial starch hydrolyzates by contacting them with α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme and α-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme. Further, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2005-95148, applied for by the same applicant as the present invention, discloses a method to produce a cyclic tetrasaccharide, having a structure of binding four glucose molecules via alternating α-1,4 and α-1,6 glucosidic linkages, i.e., cyclo{→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→} (alias “Cyclic maltosylmaltose”), from starch or partial starch hydrolyzates by contacting them with cyclic maltosylmaltose-forming enzyme. These cyclic tetrasaccharides have abilities of clathrating other substances because of these cyclic structure, and stabilizing volatile organic substances. Further, since these saccharides have no reducing power, these are expected to be used and processed without causing browning and deterioration by amino-carbonyl reaction.
As described above, α-, β- or γ-cyclodextrin having a glucose polymerization degree of 6, 7 or 8, trehalose having a glucose polymerization degree of 2, a cyclic tetrasaccharide having a structure of cyclo{→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→} and a cyclic tetrasaccharide having a structure of cyclo{→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→} (alias “Cyclic maltosylmaltose”), are used in various fields on the basis of these respective advantages as non-reducing saccharides composed of glucose molecules. While, if other non-reducing saccharides distinct from the above saccharides would be provided, we would have more choice of using non-reducing saccharides, and application thereof for various uses can be expected.